'Newsroom' Cast Spills on Season 2's Real Stories

By ROBERT PACE

July 11, 2013

Before the Golden-Globe-nominated series The Newsroom returns for its sophomore season, ET dashed to the set to get the scoop on what viewers can expect from Season 2, including which real news stories will be featured on the show.

Emily Mortimer, who plays "Mac McHale," executive producer of the news program News Night, confirmed that there will certainly be coverage of the 2012 presidential election and also revealed some exploration into foreign affairs.

"There's a lot on the Romney campaign, which I think will be cool for people to remember him," the 41-year-old English actress previewed. "We're just suddenly now getting into Benghazi and all those events."

Although the show incorporates many real new stories into its fictional world, it also creates its own imaginary news stories. Mortimer teased one such fictional story that will span over the course of the season.

"We have a fictional story running through the arc of the whole season, which I think is really interesting because it's a juxtaposition of real-life events that are going on that we keep checking back in with, but then [there's] this setup which is something that could easily have happened and relates extremely pertinently to what is going on in the Administration."

While much of the show is set in a newsroom, the HBO drama isn't solely focused on news. A haul of The Newsroom's entertainment resides in the complex relationships between its characters.

"I think that any television show succeeds or fails based on how much people want to spend time with the characters," said creator Aaron Sorkin. "Television is a more intimate medium.

"...You're watching it in your home, these people come into your living room every week and they become friends of yours. They become part of your family. So, if you want them in your home—if you want to be friends with them—then the show will succeed."

Watch the video for a full preview of Season 2 from the cast of The Newsroom, which returns July 14 on HBO.